1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates to pharmaceutical compositions and medical treatments. In particular, this disclosure relates to the use of prostaglandin D2 antagonists in said compositions and treatments.
2. Description of the Related Art
The potential of prostaglandin D2 antagonists in the treatment of allergy-related conditions is well documented and supported in the open literature, for example, Matsuoka and colleagues reported that “PGD2 functions as a mediator of allergic asthma . . . it may also play an important role in other allergic disorders such as allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis. The DP receptor may thus represent a new therapeutic target for the treatment of such allergic reactions.” (Science, vol 298, 17 Mar. 2000) Similar disclosures are found in Tsuri (J. Med. Chem., 40 (22), 3504–3507, 1997), Hirai (J. Exp. Med., 193, Number 2, Jan. 15, 2001 255–261), and several patent documents, including U.S. patent publication 20030055077 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,974, which teach the use of prostaglandin D2 antagonists for the treatment of certain allergic conditions.
The relationship between prostaglandin D2 and systemic mastocytosis is also known. Negishi teaches “Systemic mastocytosis is a disease in which the mast cell population increases in various tissues and produces PGD2. Prominent symptoms are vasodilation manifested by flushing, tachycardia and occasionally hypotension and clyspnea, and increased intestinal motility resulting in abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.” (Prog. Lip. Res., vol 32, no. 4, pp 417–434, 1993)
U.S. Pat. No. 6,083,974 teaches the use of PGD2 antagonists “as drugs for treating diseases in which mast cell dysfunction is involved, for example, systemic mastocytosis and disorder of systemic mast cell activation as well as for tracheal contraction, asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, urticaria, ischemic reperfusion injury, inflammation, and atopic dermatitis.”
Wright teaches that prostaglandin D2 regulates mucous secretion, and has “both contractile and a relaxant role . . . in the gastrointestinal tract”, and that “the DP receptor may mediate mucous secretion and cytoprotection”. (European Journal of Pharmacology 377 (1999) 101–115)
In addition to the aforementioned conditions, U.S. Pat. No. 6,410,583 teaches the use of prostaglandin D2 antagonists for the treatment of pulmonary congestion.
Additionally U.S. Patent Publication 20030158246 discloses prostaglandin D2 antagonists which “are useful to treat, prevent, or ameliorate in mammals and especially in humans: respiratory conditions, allergic conditions, pain, inflammatory conditions, mucus secretion disorders, bone disorders, sleep disorders, fertility disorders, blood coagulation disorders, trouble of the vision as well as immune and autoimmune diseases. In addition, such a compound may inhibit cellular neoplastic transformations and metastic tumor growth and hence can be used in the treatment of cancer.” Additionally, the '246 publication discloses that the prostaglandin D2 antagonists “may also be of use in the treatment and/or prevention of prostaglandin D2 mediated proliferation disorders such as may occur in diabetic retinopathy and tumor angiogenesis.” The '246 publication also teaches the use of prostaglandin D2 antagonists for the treatment and/or prevention of “allergic rhinitis, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, perennial rhinitis, nasal inflammation, asthma including allergic asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and other forms of lung inflammation; pulmonary hypotension; sleep disorders and sleep-wake cycle disorders; prostanoid-induced smooth muscle contraction associated with dysmenorrhea and premature labor; eosinophil-related disorders; thrombosis; glaucoma and vision disorders; occlusive vascular diseases, such as for example atherosclerosis; congestive heart failure; diseases or conditions requiring a treatment of anti-coagulation such as post-injury or post surgery treatment; rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; gangrene; Raynaud's disease; mucus secretion disorders including cytoprotection; pain and migraine; diseases requiring control of bone formation and resorption such as for example osteoporosis; shock; thermal regulation including fever; rejection in organ transplant and by-pass surgery, and immune disorders or conditions in which immunoregulation is desirable. More particularly the disease to be treated is one mediated by prostaglandin D2 such as nasal congestion, allergic rhinitis, pulmonary congestion, and asthma including allergic asthma.”
In citing the foregoing references, and other references cited herein, applications make no admission as to whether any of said references constitutes prior art. Rather, the determination of what constitutes prior art is a legal decision made on the basis of the dates said references were made available to the public, the authors or inventors of said references, and the effective filing date of the disclosure made herein.